Rail and wheel flange lubricator



Jan. 4, 1938, WARR 2,104,176

RAIL AND WHEEL FLANGE LUBRICATOR Filed July 10, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet lorneyg I Jan. 4, 1938. H. G. WARR RAIL AND WHEEL FLANGE LUBRICATOR FiledJuly 10, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 4, 1938 H. G. WARR RAIL AND WHEELFLANGE LUBRICATOR 5 SheetS-Sheet 3 Filed July l0, 1956 Inlfent n Zm 6.Q/ai'r Jan 4, 1938. H. G. WARR RAIL AND WHEEL FLANGE LUBRICATOR FiledJuly 10, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 H. G. WARR RAIL AND WHEEL FLANGELUBRICATOR Filed July 10, 1936 s She ets-Sheet 5 Patented Jan. 4-, 1938PATENT OFFICE RAIL AND WHEEL FLANGE LUBRICATOR Harold G. Warr, ParkRidge, 111., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Poor & Company, a corporation of DelawareApplication July 10, 1936, Serial No. 89,946

16 Claims. (01.184-3) This invention relates to improvements in rail andwheel flange lubricators of the general type adapted to be automaticallyoperated, by the passage of a car over a rail, to project smallquantities of lubricant onto the side face of the rail head so that itwill be wiped and/or picked up and reapplied to adjoining rails atlocations remote from the lubricating device by the wiping engagement ofthe car wheelfianges against the rails.

According to the present invention, a device designated herein as alubricant discharger is provided with one or more passages forcontaining a suitable lubricant to be discharged onto the side face of arail head. The lubricant discharger is positioned at the gauge side ofthe rail and the lubricant passagestherein are kept filled withlubricant, preferably by means of a pump which is operated by mechanismengaged by the car wheels. The'lubricant is discharged in smallquantities from the lubricant passages and projected against the sideface of the rail head by means of air pressure introduced into thedischarger. j

The mechanism for introducing air into the discharger comprises an airpump having a piston which is operated in one direction by the passageof a car over the rail and is operated in the opposite direction by asuitable spring. 30 The principal object of the invention is to providea rail and wheel flange lubricator includ ing a discharger having one ormore passages for directing lubricant into the space between therail'head and the adjacent side of a wheel flange and also includingmeans whereby a predetermined quantity of lubricant is segregated fromthe body of lubricant in each of said passages and. discharged therefromby means of air under pressure.

40 Another and more specific object is to provide a lubricator of theabove character in which the lubricant discharger may be positioned asub-- stantial distance from the path of the car wheels so as to avoidengagement by passing wheels and 45 which includes means forintroducingair pressure into the discharger momentarily to expel predeterminedquantities of lubricant, particularly heavy grease, from the dischargerand project it onto the side face of the rail head and/or wheel flangeat locations where it will be wiped or otherwise distributed over thesurfaces to be lubricated.

A further object is to provide a rail and wheel 55 flange lubricatorsuch as briefly described here inabove and as disclosed more in detailin the specification which follows: 1

The invention is illustrated in connection with certain specificembodiments shown in the accompanying drawings wherein: 5 Fig. 1 is aplan view of one embodiment of the invention applied to a railroad rail.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View taken through 10 the lubricant pump,operating mechanism and associated parts; the section being takensubstantially on lines 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a side view partly in section of a wheel actuated memberassociated with the pump opl5- erating mechanism. v

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the pump mechanism, the sectionbeing taken substantially on line 5-5 of Fig.- 3, looking in thedirection indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section through the rail and the lubricantdischarger illustrating one preferred arrangement of lubricant and air.ducts, said sectional View being taken substantially on line 6-3 of Fig.2.

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary sectional view of the upper portion of Fig. 6illustrating the manner in which air pressure segregates a portion ofthe lubricant from the main body in a lubricant-passageand projects itonto the side face of the rail head.

Fig. 8 is a vertical section similar to Fig. 3 but illustrating amodified embodiment.

Fig. 9 is a side View of the modification;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line Illlfl of Fig. 9 toillustrate the cross-sectional contour of the discharger and a preferredconstruction of air pump used in connection therewith; and

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view of a 4 further modification.Referring first to the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to7, inclusive: l0 designates a lubricant discharger, H a mechanism forsupplying lubricant thereto and for projecting the lubricant onto therail l2, and I3 des-' ignates operating mechanism attached to the railI2 and adapted to be actuated by the passage of a car over the rail, forexample, by contact with the wheels of the car.

The lubricant discharger 10 may be composed of a plurality of identicalunits. In the present embodiment two discharger units are employed, eachof which is preferably, though not necessarily, a composite structure,comprising a supporting plate I4, a lubricant distributing plate I5 andan outer plate I6. The supporting plate I4 is positioned between thehead and the base flange of the rail at the gauge side thereof with theouter face of the plate extending in the plane of the side of the railhead. 7 The supporting plate I4 is secured to the. rail by suitableclamping means, for example, bolts I! which extend through the verticalWeb of the rail and through a supporting plate I40. located on theopposite side of the rail. The lubricant distributing plate V I5 isadjustably secured to thezsupporting plate I4 by means of bolts I8extending through slots I9 formed in the distributing plate. This meansof attachment permits the distributing plate I5 to be located a suitabledistance below the top of the rail so as to avoid being engaged byflanges 20 of the carwheels. c

The upper edge of the distributing plate I5 is provided with a series ofdischarge'openings 2I whichare connected by means of branch passages22-23 of uniform length with the ends of a main lubricant passage 24'(see Fig. 2). The lubricant inlet 25 is positioned at the center of themain passage 24 so that each discharge opening, when following the flowof lubricant, is posi tioned at an equal distance'from the lubricantinlet 25. The main lubricant passage 24 and the branch passages 23 arepreferably open channels which are closedvby clamping the plate I5against the face of the supporting'plate I4. A main air duct 26 extendslengthwise of the plate I5 and is connected by means of branches 21 tothe several lubricant branch passages 22. The branch 'air ductscommunicate with the branch lubricant passages at locations suitablyspaced from the'discharge openings 2| and preferably at substantiallyright angles to the lubricant passages. By this arrangement, the airentering the lubricant branches under pressure separates a a quantity oflubricant from the main body in each of the lubricant branches andprojects the segregated lubricant out of the branch passages and ontothe side face of the rail head. The.

discharge ends of the lubricant passages are preferably disposed atappropriate angles to the side face of the rail head so that thequantity of lubricant discharged will strike the side face of the railhead near the upper corner thereof whereby the lubricant will be appliedover the inner surfaces of the wheel flanges and the adjacent face ofthe rail head by. the Wiping engagement of the 'Wheel flanges againstthe side face and the curved corner "portionof the rail head. In orderto expedite the separation of lubricant from the main body of lubricantin the several branch passages 22, a means is provided fordirecting theair into each of said branch passages in opposite directions. The saidair directing. means is illustrated in' Figs. 6 and 7 of the drawings inthe formof fixed angular projections 28 extending into the lubricantbranch passages 22 at a location oppositethe air duct opening therein.The back pressure of air against the main body of lubricant in thebranch passages 22 avoids any objectional syphoning effect on the mainbody oflubricant in said passages. Each of the'branch air ducts 27 isnormally closed by a ball valve 29 which is held in its closed positionby means of a spring 30 until the air pressure reaches a predeterminedpoint. The compression of the spring 30 may be varied by adjusting theclosure plug -3 I. The main air duct, like the main lubricant passagehereinbefore described, is preferably formed as an open channel which isclosed by the outer plate I 6. The air inlet 32 may be located at anysuitable point in the main air duct since the valves 29 in the severalair branches are held closed until a predetermined air pressure isobtained.

The lubricant discharger I0 is supplied with lubricant and withmomentary charges of air under pressure by means of the supplyingmechanism II, said mechanism comprising a lubricant reservoir 32,7alubricant pump 33 and an air pump 34. The lubricant reservoir ispreferably located at a substantial distance from the rail I I2 and ispartially embedded in the ballast of the roadbed so as to maintain afixed position. The reservoir is provided with a hinged cover 35and'with' a suitable follower 36, the latter of which serves to keep thelubricant substantially level and prevents the formation of air holestherein when the lubricant used is a heavy oil or'grease. The lubricantpump 33 is preferably a reciprocate type. Other types of pumps may beused but the reciprocating type is preferred in the present embodimentsince it presents certain advantages in'connection with the specificoperating means I3 and the air pump 34. The

pump 33 is arranged in a vertical position in a pump casing 31. Thiscasing is preferably removably secured to the outer Wall of thelubricant reservoir'and is formed at its lower end with a chamber 38communicating with the lubricant reservoir and a chamber 39 which isconnected by means of lubricant'duct 40 (Fig. 5) and flexible conduits4I4I to the lubricant inlets 25 of the distributing plates I5. The saidchambers 33-39 are connected by means of a passage 42 closed by a ballvalve 43 which is held in its closed position bymeans of a spring 44.The pressure of the spring 44 may be varied by turning the closure plug45 in the appropriate direction. The pump plunger 33is held in itsnormally elevated position by means of a coil spring 46 interposedbetween a portion of the pump casing and a flange 48- secured to thereduced stem portion 49 of the pump plunger.

The air pump 34 comprises a piston 50 (Fig. 5) secured to the stem ofthe lubricant pump plunger and operating in a cylinder 5|, the upper end52 of which is closed. An inlet valve 53 is opened againstthecompression of the spring 54 to admit 'air into'the cylinder 51 duringthe down stroke of the lubricant pump. The air is discharged from thecylinder 5I' through a pressure valve 55 during the up stroke of thepiston 50, said valve comprising a valve member 56 which is held in itsclosed position by means of a spring 51. The air pressure is conductedto the main air ducts in the several plates I5 through flexible conduits58-58. Both the lubricant pump 33 and the air plate I Iaon the rail(Figs. 3 and 4). An operating bar 63 is pivoted at one end in thebrackets 62. An. intermediate portion of the bar extends above the railhead so as to be depressed by engagement with the tread portion of a carwheel, the bar being guided by means of an arm 66 which is slotted at 61to receive a guide bolt 68. The operating bar 63 has a shock absorbingconnection with the end portion of the lever 6 I. The said connectioncomprises a plunger 69 positioned in a pocket formed in the underportion of the bar 63 and a spring H1 which is interposed between thesaid plunger and the under portion of the bar 63. The plunger 69 isretained in position by means of a screw stud (Fig. 3) which extendsinto a slot H formed in the plunger 69.

It will be apparent from the above description that a car wheel passingalong the rail 12 will engage the elevated portion of the operating bar63 and thereby depress the bar. This movement of the bar rocks thelever6l downwardly and, through the flexible shaft 60, imparts a similardownward movement to the rocking lever 59, the latter of which imparts adownward thrust to the lubricant pump plunger 33 and the air compressorpiston 50. The downward movement of the piston 50 draws air into thecylinder 5| through the valves 53 and the downward movement of thelubricant pump piston 33 forces a quantity of lubricant past the valve43 and into the chamber 39. 'This displaces a corresponding quantity oflubricant in the passage 40, flexible conduits ll-4|, so as tocompletely fill the lubricant passages 22-23 and 24 of the lubricantdistributing bar l5. As soon as the wheel rides off the operating barthe lubricant and air pumps and likewise the operating parts of theoperating mechanism l3 are returned to their elevated positions by meansof the spring 46. This upward movement of the air pump piston 50 forcesair through the pressure valve 55, the flexible conduits 58-58 and intothe air passages 26-21 of the distributing plate I5, the said air, whenit reaches a predetermined'pressure, unseats the valves 29 and entersthe lubricant branch passages 22. The air pressure being exerted againstthe lubricant in the said branch passages at a location opposite theangular projection 28 .separates a portion of the lubricant from themain body of lubricant in the said passages, as indicated in Fig. 7. Theseparated lubricant is projected onto the side of the rail head,preferably near the upper edge thereof, so that the lubricant will bewiped along the rail by the wiping action of the inner face of the wheelflange 20; portions of the discharged lubricant being picked up by thewheel flange and re-applied to the rail at locations remote from thelubricating apparatus.

The arrangement of the air pump piston 50 so as to force air into thelubricant discharger l9 during the upward movement of the lubricant pumppiston 33, insures that the branch lubricant passages 22 will be filledwith lubricant before the air pressure is admitted therein to dischargethe lubricant. The intermittent operation of the air pump 59 producessuflicient momentary pressure to project small quantities of thelubricant onto the rail, thereby making it practicable to position thelubricant discharge openings 2| a substantial distance below the flangesof the car wheels.

Referring now to the modified embodiment of the invention shown in Figs.8, 9 and 10 of the drawings: The lubricant discharger i2 is illustratedin the form of a unitary casting formed with main and branch lubricantpassages 13 and i4 and with main and branch air ducts l5 and '16,respectively. A valve 11 for each of the air discharge ports is heldclosed by means of a spring 18. The discharger is secured to the rail ina position so that the flanges 19 of the car wheels will pass betweenthe rail head and the discharge port of the lubricant branch passages M;the said branch passages being formed at an angle to direct thelubricant discharged toward the side of the rail head near the upperedge thereof. The lubricant passages 13 and the branch passages 14 ofthe discharger are kept filled with lubricant, either grease or oil, :byany suitable supplyingrmeans. For the purpose of illustration, alubricant supplying mechanism is shown herein which corresponds instructure to I the supplying mechanism shown in the Bates and Overmierapplication Serial No. 397,413, filed October 4, 1929.

This supplying mechanism may be described briefly as'comprising alubricant reservoir 89, a rotary pump 8|, a wheel actuated operating bar82, positioned at one side of the rail and operating connections 83 forconnecting the operating bar with the lubricant pump. The last mentionedmechanism consists of a pawl 84 carried by the operating bar 82 and soengaging a ratchet wheel 85 as to impart intermittent partial rotationto the ratchet wheel for each downward movement of the operating bar 82.The ratchet wheel 85 is suitably secured to a flexible shaft 86 whichlike the shaft of the previous embodiment is both flexible andextensible so as to compensate for the vertical and lateral movements ofthe rail without imparting said movements to the stationary members ofthe supply mechanism. The flexible shaft 86 is provided at one end witha suitable sprocket and chain connection 81 with the said lubricant pump8|.

It will be apparent that the intermittent operation of the lubricantsupply mechanism produced by contact of the bar 82 with the wheelspassing along the rail 88 forces lubricant through the conduit 89 andthe flexible conduits 99--9-0 into the lubricant passages of thedischargers l2-'l 2a. Air pressure is forced into the dischargers 12-12a at suitably spaced intervals of time by means of an air pump 9|secured to the rail. The air pump comprises a cylinder 92, a piston head93 and an operating stem94. The piston 93 and stem 94 are normallysupported in their elevated positions by means of a spring 95. The saidstem 94 is supported so that its upper end will extend above the levelof the rail head 96, as indicated in Fig. 10. The air is admitted to thecylinder 92 through a valve 91 during the upward stroke of the piston 93and is discharged through the conduit 98 to the air ducts l5 and 1B ofthe lubricant discharger by the downward movement of the piston 93, forexample, when the operating stem 9 3 is engaged by the tread portion ofa car wheel.

In View of the fact that the pulsating air pressures are obtained from apump mechanism operable independently of the lubricant pump, the airpump is preferably located at a location spaced from one end of theoperating bar 82, for example, as shown in Fig. 9. With thisarrangement, the air pressure will be supplied to the ducts l5 and 15 todischarge the lubricant after the lubricant ducts l3l4 have beensupplied by a previous operation of the lubricant pump 8i. The valves 11are preferably positioned so as to project into the lubricant branchpassages 14. Said valves illustrate one form of movable device forperforming the functions of the fixed projection 23, shown in Figs. 6and '7 of the previously described embodiment. The outward movement ofthe valves 11 serve to cut off a quantity of lubricant from the mainbody of lubricant in each of the lubricant branch passages and to soobstruct or close the several branch passages 14 as to prevent theo-utrush of air from producing a suction or 'syphoning action on themain body of lubricant in said passages. In some situations it isdesirable to apply the lubricant to the side of the rail head only. Insuch instances the air pump 91 may be so positioned on the rail that itsoperation causes the discharge of lubricant from the several parts 80 atsuch a time that the lubricant will miss the passing car wheels andtherefore strike the gauge side of the rail head. In certain othersituations, for example where it is desired to apply lubricant to thegauge side of the running rail and also to the wheel engaging surface ofa guard rail, the air pump 9| and the lubricant ports 80 may be soarranged with relation to the operating bar 82 that the lubricantdischarged from a portion of the ports 80 will miss the passing carwheels and strike the side face of the running rail head and thelubricant discharged from the other ports will strike the back face ofthe wheel flange. This lubricant being wiped from the wheel onto thewheel engaging surface of the guard rail and also spread over the backface of the wheel flange minimizes the development of friction when atrain is rounding a curve.

In Fig. 11 a further modification is shown in which the discharger isformed with lubricant passages and air ducts 14a and 16a, respectively,similar to those shown in Fig. 10. Instead of using the ball valve anddirectinga back pressure of air against the body of lubricant in themain portion of the lubricant passage, a pivoted flap,

valve Tla is positioned in each of the several lubricant passages attheir 'junction with the air ducts. When the air in the duct 16:;reaches a predetermined pressure the valve 11a opens against thepressure of the spring 18a to admit the air pressure back of a quantityof lubricant in the outer end of the lubricant passage and thereby expelit from the port 80a in the manner previously described in connectionwith Fig.'l0. The

opening movement of the valve 11a preferably entirely closes the mainportion of the lubricant passage momentarily during the discharge oflubricant from the port 80a. In order to facilitate positioning thevalve 71a in its operative position, the discharger is formed with aremovable cap portion 12a. The sa id cap is held in position bysuitable'stud bolt 12b. v

While the invention is described and claimed in connection with thespecific embodiment shown, it will be obvious to persons skilled in thisart that other modified constructions might be madewithout departurefrom the spirit of the invention. It will be understood, therefore, thatthe invention contemplates all such changes in structure andarrangements coming within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A rail and wheel flange lubricator comprls-.

ing a lubricant discharger adapted tobe positioned adjacent the gaugeside of a rail and having a passage therein for containing lubricant tobe discharged and an air duct communicating with said passage at alocation intermediate its ends, and means operable at intervals tointroduce air under pressure into said duct and said passage, wherebythe air pressure segregates a quantity of lubricant from the main bodyin said passage and discharges the segregated lubricant as a body ontothe side face of the rail head.

2. A rail and wheel flange lubricator comprising alubricant dischargeradapted to be positioned adjacent the gauge side of a rail and having apassage therein for containing lubricant to be discharged, an airductcommunicating with said passage at a location intermediate its ends,and. means operable at intervals to'introduce momentary charges of airunder pressure into said duct and said passage, whereby the air pressuresegregates a quantity of lubricant from the main body in saidpassage anddischarges the segregated lubricant as a body onto the side face of therail head. 7

3. A rail and wheel flange lubricator comprising a'lubricant dischargeradapted to be posiing a passage for'containing lubricant to bedischarged and an air duct opening into said pas' sage at a locationintermediate its ends, a lubricant pump for supplying said passage withlubricant, means actuated by a car passing'over the rail for operatingthe pump to force a quantity of lubricant into said passage to aposition intermediate the said air duct opening and the dis charge endof the lubricant passage, and means operable at intervals to forcemomentary charges of air under pressure through said duct and into saidpassage, whereby the air pressure forces the said quantity of lubricantas a body from said passage and onto the side face of the rail head.

4. A rail and wheel flange lubricator comprising a lubricantdischarger'adapted to be positioned adjacent the gauge side of a railand having a lubricant passage therein for directing lubricant onto theside of the rail head and an air duct opening into said passage at alocation spaced from the discharge end of the passage, a lubricantsupply chamber, a pump connected with said chamber and with saiddischarger for forcing lubricant into said passage to a location betweenthe said air duct opening and the discharge end of the passage, meansoperated by the passage of a car over the'track for operating said pump,and means for forcing momentary charges of air under pressure into saidlubricant passage to discharge as a body the quantity of lubricantlocated in the passage between the air duct opening 7 and the dischargeend of the lubricant passage.

5. A rail and wheel flange lubricator comprising a lubricant dischargeradapted to be positioned adjacent'the gauge side of a rail and having alubricant passage therein for directing lubricant onto the side of therail head and an air duct opening into said passage at a location spacedfrom the discharge end of the passage, a lubricant supply chamber, alubricant pump for forcing a quantity of lubricant through said passageto a location beyond said air duct opening, an air pump for forcingmomentary charges of air under pressure into said lubricant passage todischarge as a body the said quantity of lubri cant therefrom and meansoperated by the passage of a car over said rail for operating said,

lubricant from the main body of lubricant therein and to force saidquantity of lubricant from the passage and onto the rail head, meansactuated by the passage of a car over the rail for operating saidlubricant air pumps in one direction, and a resilient member forreturning said pumps to their normal positions.

'7. A rail and wheel flange lubricator comprising a lubricant dischargeradapted to be positioned adjacent the gauge side of a, rail and having apassage therein for containing lubricant to be discharged and an airduct communicating with said passage near its discharge end, and meansfor introducing air under pressure into said duct and passage to force aquantity of lubricant from the latter onto the side of the rail head;the said lubricant passage being formed at a location opposite the airduct opening therein with a lateral projection, whereby the air pressureexerted on the lubricant at opposite sides of said projection segregatesa quantity of lubricant from the main body and discharges it onto therail.

8. A rail and wheel flange lubricator comprising a lubricant dischargeradapted to be positioned adjacent the gauge side of a rail and having apassage therein for containing lubricant to be discharged and an airduct communicating with said passage near its discharge end, and

means for introducing air under pressure into' said duct and passage toforce a quantity of lubricant from the latter onto the side of the railhead, there being an air baffle located in said passage at the openingof the air duct therein to direct portions of air in oppositedirections, whereby the air pressure separates a quantity of lubricantfrom the main body and discharges it onto the rail.

9. A rail and wheel flange lubricator comprising a lubricant dischargeradapted to be positioned adjacent the gauge side of a rail and having apassage therein for containing lubricant to be discharged and an airduct communicating with said passage at substantially right angles tosaid passage, and means for introducing air under pressure into saidduct and passage to force a quantity of lubricant from the latter ontothe side of the rail head and means positioned to obstruct the lubricantpassage and direct the air therein to discharge the lubricant onto therail.

10. A rail and wheel flange lubricator comprising a lubricant dischargeradapted to be positioned adjacent the gauge: side of a rail and having apassage therein for containing lubricant to be discharged, an air ductcommunicating with said passage near its discharge end, means forintroducing air under pressure into said duct and passage to force aquantity of lubricant from the latter onto the side face of the rail,and means for maintaining the air duct closed at its discharge end untilthe air pressure in said duct reaches a predetermined point.

11. A rail and Wheel flange lubricator comprising a lubricant dischargeradapted to be positioned adjacent a rail and provided with a pluralityof discharge openings, a main lubricant passage, branch passages ofuniform resistance to the flow of lubricant therein connecting thedischarge openings with one end of the main lubricant passage, a mainair duct provided with branches communicating with said branch lubricantpassages, means for introducing air under pressure into said duct andlubricant branch passages to force a quantity of lubricant from thelatter onto a side face of the rail head, and means positioned adjacentthe opening of the air duct into the branch lubricant ducts adapted toobstruct the flow of lubricant and direct the discharge of air towardthe discharge opening whereby the air pressure segregates a quantity oflubricant from the main body of lubricant in said branch passages anddischarges it onto the rail.

12. A rail and wheel flange lubricator comprising a lubricant dischargeradapted to be positioned adjacent a. rail. and having a passage thereinfor containing lubricant to be discharged and an air duct communicatingwith the passage, a lubricant pump for supplying lubricant to saidpassage, a separate air pump for supplying air under pressure to saidduct and means positioned for engagement with a car Wheel for operatingsaid pump whereby the air under pressure is introduced into saidduct'after the pressure operation of the lubricant pump.

13. A rail and wheel flange lubricator comprising a lubricant dischargeradapted to be positioned adjacent the rail and having a passage thereinfor containing lubricant to be discharged and an air duct communicatingwith said passage, a lubricant pump for supplying lubricant to saidpassage, means for operating said lubricant pump, and an air pumpoperatively connected with said pump operating means and adapted tointroduce said air into the discharger after the pressure operation ofthe lubricant pump.

14. A rail and wheel flange oiler comprising a lubricant pump adjustablysecured to a rail and having lubricant and air passages therein in theform of open grooves, means for closing the open sides of said grooves,means for introducing lubricant into said lubricant passage comprising alubricant pump and means actuated by a car wheel passing along the railfor operating the pump, and means separate from the lubricant pump forintroducing air into said discharger under pressure to project aquantity of lubricant from said discharger onto the rail head.

15. A rail and Wheel flange lubricator comprising a lubricant dischargeradapted to be positioned adjacent the rail and having a passage thereinfor containing lubricant to be discharged, an air duct communicatingwith said passage, means for forcing lubricant into said passage and forintroducing air under pressure in said air passage, and a valvepositioned adjacent the discharge end of said air passage adapted to bemoved into the lubricant passage to obstruct the same during thedischarge of air from said duct.

16. A rail and wheel flange lubricator comprising a lubricant dischargeradapted to be positioned adjacent the gauge side of a rail and having apassage therein for containing lubricant to be discharged and an airduct communicating with said passage, means for introducing air underpressure into said duct to discharge a quantity of lubricant therefromonto the element to be lubricated and a hinged valve mounted to normallyclose the air duct and adapted, when in its opened position to obstructthe lubricant passage, and a spring positioned to hold the valve in itsair duct closing position until the air in said duct reaches apredetermined pressure.

HAROLD G. WARR.

